A species becomes extinct when all the individuals in every existing population on Earth die. When this happens that species is gone forever. We have already exterminated or severely degraded substantially more than half of the populations of all species and their wild habitats. It starts with the arrival of people on the scene.
Extinct
Chinese paddlefish – Extinct 2010
The Chinese paddlefish is now extinct. It existed before flowering plants, bamboo and the pandas. It reached three metres in length. They could weigh up to 300kg and managed to survive the 5th mass extinction of life on Earth that occurred 66 million years ago. The Chinese paddlefish and its ancestors had been around for 150 million years
Forest Ecosystems, NOT Technology, is what we need
It is commonplace when talking about sustainability to claim that technological innovation can save the world from our actions. I do not believe that at all. Our over dependence on technology has enslaved us and is destroying forest ecosystems and the Earth’s ability to support that which all species need to survive. Technology takes us further and further away from nature. Nature is our home.
Steller’s Sea Cow – Extinct in 1768
Steller’s sea cow was first seen by Europeans in 18th century around the Commander Islands in the Bering Sea between Alaska and Russia. Fossil records show that its range was more extensive during the Pleistocene epoch (from 2.6 million to 11.7 thousand years ago) and its population numbers had been much …
The Moa Lived in Aotearoa and Became Extinct in 1445
For millions of years, nine species of large, flightless birds known as Moas thrived on the islands today known as New Zealand (Aotearoa). The evolutionary lineage of these Moas dates back sixty million years. The Moa fed on twigs and plants. The Moas had one main predator and that was the …
Northern White Rhinoceros – Functionally Extinct 2018
It is estimated that 8,000 rhinoceros have been killed by humans in the last 10 years alone. There are 21,000 rhinoceros left in the world today. The evolutionary history of rhinoceros goes back 50 million years. The Northern White Rhinoceros is a subspecies of the White Rhinoceros that is said to be descended from Ceratotherium praecox that lived around seven million years ago.